Staring at the small fingers upon the keys,
I prayed, “God, give me words for my fingers.
Give me words for the world”.

The speakers in my soul resound this music:

In numbers, I have no wealth.
Right now, I have nothing.
Inside, however, I am rich.

I am richer than I have ever been,
or ever hope to be.

I say these things with tears and smiles.
Waves of emotion and words crying out thanks to God.
I should be terrified, but I feel peace.

Spork. Foon. What ridiculous words and yet an even more ridiculous utensil. For all of you out there that have no idea what I am talking about, let me explain. According to Wikipedia, a spork is a “hybrid form of cutlery taking the form of a spoon-like shallow scoop with the addition of the tines of a fork (usually three or four)…Sporks are occasionally known as foons…The word spork is a portmanteau combining the words spoon and fork.” Now, I ask you, have you ever tried to use a spork?

Not long ago I was at the school where I work part-time. Quite often, they provide breakfast for the staff on Fridays in the lounge and this happened to be one of those times. That day, they offered a nice spread of various fruit juices, donuts, and mammoth muffins. I’m not a big donut fan so I chose one of the large muffins- you know, the kind that should be shared with another person or split and eaten on two separate occasions, but I wanted nothing to do with that and would therefore eat the entire thing. So I carefully chose my preferred flavor, set it on my plate and grabbed a napkin as I headed towards the door on my way back to my office to begin my day with paperwork. Just as I reached the door to the lounge however, I remembered that I needed to grab a fork so that I could eat my large muffin while typing my progress notes. While perusing the table I noticed that, much to my dismay, my only option was to use the prepackaged little plastic spork. I snatched it up and walked back to my office thinking, “how bad can this spork be?” It was only moments later that I realized how flawed my thinking was.

Sitting down at the desk, I logged onto the computer and while I waited for my personal settings to load, I opened the package of the spork and started to dig into the muffin. Yet instead of breaking off a nice bite, the spork began to smash the muffin down flat before a little chunk fell off to the side of the plate, spraying little crumbs everywhere. Then when trying to scoop the piece up, the crumbs fell through the tines of the spork, resulting in a very frustrating experience. How much paperwork do you think I got done while trying to eat my muffin? Yeah…you’re probably right…just about none. It took way too much concentration and effort to eat that muffin with a spork- or do you prefer foon?

Later on, I thought about what the purpose of a spork or foon was. I suppose someone thought they were a genius coming up with a utensil that served two purposes in one. The spork actually dates back to the late 1800s. Similar utensils seem to include the knork, the spife, the splayd (for those curious…it’s a portmanteau of ‘spoon’ and ‘blade’- lucky for you, it’s a spoon, fork, and knife all rolled into one!), and forkchops. Ok, Ok, I get the idea- one utensil instead of 2 or 3. But how well does that spork actually work??? I’m in total agreement with Wikipedia when it goes on to say, “The two functions of fork and spoon are inherently opposed to each other in a spork, such that the slotted tines allow thin liquids to leak out of the bowl, while the fat triangular tines have poor solid-food penetration and retention of fresh salad vegetables and natural cooked meats such as steak. The spork is better suited for thick, chunky, and heavily-processed foods which require minimal cutting or preparation to ingest.” The spork, I learned, is not a “one-size-fits-all” utensil. While it may work for Jell-O, let’s say, or Dinty Moore Beef Stew, it doesn’t work well for soup, porkchops, or muffins. Some instances it works, and others, well….not so much.

Utensils serve a specific purpose. When you start to combine utensils to serve two purposes in one, the result is a utensil with a mediocre function. Rather than trying to use a foon or splayd to cut a pizza, we have pizza cutters. In the same way, we are provided with individual forks, spoons, and knives- along with chopsticks, straws, ladles, cheese slicers, can openers, garlic presses, ice cream scoops, etc. Every single one of these utensils serves a specific purpose, and serves that purpose well.

When it comes to life, I think too many of us try to be sporks, including myself. I find myself saying “yes” to countless requests, simply because I was asked and I don’t want to say “no”. Before long, I am running from one thing to the next, barely able to catch my breath. Yet I take on all of these responsibilities for the church and for God…I reason to myself. I try to be and to do so many things that I end up doing a mediocre job with everything. God did not design us to be sporks. God instead created us to be individual forks, spoons, and knives, as well as every other kitchen gadget and gizmo that you can imagine. We are fashioned by God with specific skills and talents that He wants us to use to the best of our ability. Sure, I could agree to play the piano for Lighthouse worship- but is that my talent? Certainly not. I could also consent to sketch artwork for the website, but I’m guessing that stick figures are probably not what you all had in mind. You see, playing the piano and sketching are not the talents that God has blessed me with and by trying to do and be so many things for God without recognizing my talents, I’ll end up worn out and doing an average, fair, or downright poor job at all tasks. God desires each of us to do our best at whatever we do, even if it means saying “no” once in a while. It is my hope, my desire, and my prayer that each one of us searches deep within to discover who God created us to be and what gifts, skills, and talents that we are blessed with. Let’s not be “catch-all” devices with average functions. I certainly don’t want to be that spork that is collecting dust in the back of the drawer…do you?

I can’t see Him. So how do I know that He exists?

I was asked that question at work the other week. It took me a second to ponder the question. I thought to myself how I knew that he existed. And then I answered him.

You see physical things with your eyes, like tables, lights, walls, doors, and chairs. But God is seen in love; He is seen with your heart, not your eyes. You can see with your eyes the effect of Him who loves us. He is the Love between two brothers, mother and father, husband and wife, even friends. Of course telling that to a person who has no idea what I am talking about can come off as kind of strange but I see it like this. Just as real as running, jumping, and playing sports like volleyball are the actions of God’s love in our hearts and in the world. The chills up the back and the extreme fluttering of a soul as God approaches is as real as anything else. You can call me crazy for thinking this is God but I am much happier then I have ever felt anywhere else.

In no way do I believe that this world could hold its own with out God’s constant hand in our lives. In true honesty, the fact that we are still alive is to see God, praise the Lord for the sun’s light, for the earth’s constant revolving. Without this we are a rock floating in space, one where life could not exist. I guess God could have put us in a glass ant farm and for some people that would be easier to understand, but our God is so great that he didn’t. Instead, He gave us the sky to marvel at. How fantastic! It is a true sign of wisdom to know the Lord. These people that believe we are evolving because of the technological advances the human race has made are standing in the dark about what life is anyway. They have lost sight of the Lord and everything he does for us. We are the computer and car age, with text messages flying all around and sending messages in split seconds. With all of this, we forget what it is to wait in anticipation. Now that is a great gift from God. If only we pulled our own heads away for this age of stuff we would see that God is visible everyday. He shows his face everyday and we are often too busy to see it. His brilliance is all over the world but we’re moving to fast to appreciate it.

I wrote this as a “duh” blog about visually seeing God but now I think I need to seek Him out and
gaze in awe at his works. How great is our God, really. The Master and Creator’s signing is signature on the greatest piece of art in all of existence.

It’s a rare occurrence to pick up a new release out of general curiosity, and have it become an instant favorite. “There Came a Lion”, the debut album by Tooth and Nail’s latest signing Ivoryline, remains an exception to this rule. Bursting from the shadows straight onto the scene, Ivoryline is an outlier in an industry flooded with myspace and purevolume bands.

In the case of all artists whose work can often be compared to that of another’s, Ivoryline fuses the musical intensity of Underoath with the passionate haunting vocals of Anberlin while still retaining a sound that is all their own. Kicking off with “Days End,” a fast paced rocker depicting the pseudo-tragic state of the church, the stage is set for the oncoming musical experience. Its lyrics beg listeners to wake up, realize the profound impact of serving a merciful yet powerful God, and live in a way that challenges conformity. Following is the semi-ambiguous “We Both Know,” an alt-rocker, its lyrics seemingly directed toward a young women, warning her of the world, its false prophets, and empty promises, assuring her “There are liars outside your window… signing syncopated rhythms, charming in your ear”. Next up, “Parade” a paradoxical sort of tune, is stylistically upbeat yet sympathetic lyrically, with a catchy chorus and verse arrangement.

Progressing through the record, listeners are presented with the current single “Be Still and Breath.” The song has a unique quality, remaining listener friendly, with catchy verses and an extremely memorable chorus, while remaining innovative, and original. Some are bound to be critical, discrediting Ivoryline, citing numerous “sound alike” bands. To answer this, one must realize that while the genre itself may be overflowing with acts, Ivoryline pulls off the alternative sound in a way that is refreshing. Just as Linkin Park did nothing in pioneering the rap-rock genre, their implementation of turntables, mixing of screams with soaring melodic choruses, and refusal to back down in the wake of bands such as Limp Biskit, created a sound that was all their own. In this respect, Ivoryline has their own voice in the alternative realm.

Although the CD is generally praiseworthy, it is not without its flaws. While highlights such as “Be Still and Breath,” “Days End,” Parade,” and the progressive rock ballad “Hearts and Minds” account for a good portion of the project, a few songs do seem to be fillers. “Left Us Falling,” seems to do little to nothing for the overall quality of the album, and “And The Truth Will End This” seems poorly structured, feeling more like a throw in, than a solid track. Despite its minor shortcomings, “There Came a Lion” is shaping up to be one of the better albums released this year. For those who have yet to check out Ivoryline the time is now.

4 out of 5
Release Date: February 5th 2008
Tooth and Nail Records

Track Listing:
1.) Days End
2.) We Both Know
3.) Parade
4.) All You Ever Hear
5.) Be Still and Breath
6.) Remind Me I’m Alive
7.) Left Us Falling
8.) And The Truth Will End This
9.) Bravery
10.) Hearts and Minds
11.) The Last Words

Camaren is also a columnist for The Christian Manifesto an online Christian magazine reflecting on Christian thought, media, and news, you can check out this review and more here.

I’ve heard that following
Krakatoa’s eruption, the moon
appeared blue for two years,
darkened skies piloting behind
sunsets the color of
orange peels and red blood cells.

The volcano shuddered ceaselessly
those months, raspy breaths
escaping from its broken rib-
cage, choking the coast,
ash and stone lashing the
forest floor rhythmically,
the ocean’s tide pulling life into
its depths, leaving little behind.

We come,
almost
sterile
(our chests cracked, too)
barely breathing
but ready for restoration,
carved out like
Krakatoa, new

life after destruction.

I tend to lean on the side of logic. I’ve come to the realization through the years that, just like everything else, people have a different view of what would be deemed as logical or illogical. As a follower of Christ, my logic “hinges” on, to put it in simple terms, what Jesus would do or how He would act, how He would treat this person or that person. It has always ticked me off to see people take their so-called, “Christ”-rooted logic and use it for evil and injustice to others. I consider a perfect example to be all those lovely people that bash the gay community with their “God hates F*gs” signs, an illogical injustice when measured up to the humble loving logic of Christ. This example is an extreme, of course; I notice all sorts of “tiny” injustices served to others and lived out by others, all of them being rooted in our own selfishness, our own pride. So if injustice is rooted in selfishness and pride, then what is justice founded upon? Ahh, such a simple answer is coming, so much so that one might call it cliche’. Well folks, there are reasons for cliches’ and that is because more times then not, they are correct. The foundation of justice is humble love and we need to look no further then the life of Christ and the grace of God to see the highest example. To humbly love others, to rid our hearts of selfishness. As I think through this more and more, I begin to realize how selfish we can be, there are the extreme examples of bashing gays, bashing those of different race, making jokes at the expense of other people. As Crowder puts it, “the harder I try, the more clearly can I, feel the depth of our fall, and the weight of it all.” The harder I try to be more like Christ, to die to myself, to rid my heart of selfishness, to live out the humble love of Christ, the more clearly can I begin to feel the depth of our fall. I can truly see how far I am and we are as both followers and non-followers, as both a church and a world. I get a glimpse of how far we are from being worthy to be called little Christs. I can feel the weight, the challenge, the calling of living my life as a passionate, humble, loving follower of Christ.

The whole premise for this came about as this afternoon I was reading through the book of James. As I came across the passage of James 4:17, the words struck a chord within my heart.

James 4:17 NIV
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.

Wow, it made me think of how many times I saw someone who may have needed help and I didn’t even ask them if I could give a hand. It made me think of the many times that I have been driving and seen someone stranded on the side of the road and didn’t stop just to ask if I could help. I think of the many times in which I’ve seen a middle school or high school student or, heck, anyone for that matter, that was just sitting alone, keeping to themself and how I need to consider the opportunity I have to share in life with them by sharing my story and caring about their story, caring about their life. Even as I pass someone I don’t know in the hall or at a store or in a parking lot and I could simply just smile give them a head nod, acknowledge their existence simply by showing them a little love gesture. And how many times I ignore those I don’t know but even more so when I ignore those that I do know. Even if I don’t know them well, God has had us share a bit of our life together and yet instead of acknowledging that person, instead of sharing the humble love of Christ to that person, I would rather look the other way and pretend I didn’t see them so I can continue on my way undisturbed. Selfishness.

Some of you reading this may feel as though this things are just “minor” details, little hiccups or mishaps that occur on a daily basis but you don’t care about them because you’ve callused your heart from the little mishaps and have found contentment, perhaps even pride, within the fact that “Hey, at least I don’t steal or kill anyone”. Yet to make a very corny metaphor, that’s exactly what we are doing. We are stealing away from others the hope that we have inside, the hope of Jesus Christ, we steal that from them when we don’t share it with them. We kill the chance they have at eternal life, eternal love, eternal peace. I haven’t even mentioned the big injustices that we do nothing about, things such as homelessness, hunger, hate, and so on, and how we ignore these “major” problems because we don’t have the time to humbly love and serve others. We’ve become to consumed with ourselves, with our own comforts, with our own lives. Selfishness.

There is power in the little things that we do for one another. There is this power because the little things have been left for dead. If there is any challenge, any message that I would like to relay, then it is the most simple and the most cliche’ and sometimes the most ignored: to love others the way that Christ first loved us. Love others in the little things because those opportunities are always around us. Don’t wait until a missions trip or a service project to come around to show love to others. Be faithful to Him in the small things.

Philippians 2:1-5 NIV
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 6:3 NLT
We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way that we act and so that no one may find fault in our ministry, in His ministry.

Well, UPWARDS Basketball recently had their closing ceremonies, which wrapped up another successful season. Woodside sponsors this basketball league, which puts close to 700 kids between the ages of 7 and 12 on a basketball or cheerleading team. There have been very few things that I’ve enjoyed volunteering my time for more than this league. The kids and the parents are great. I have nothing but good things to say about the whole experience. On a side note, Woodside recently had an event that brought in comedians from all over the place. I’m sure they were quite funny. If they ever ran out of material though, I would suggest volunteering to coach and Upwards Basketball Team. This past season had too many funny moments to count.
I understand that it’s hard to laugh unless you’re there to see who the actual kids are and what they actually said. I need to relive a couple of the highlights from this past year for you all. First off, Ben Kelly (also from Woodside) helped me coach the 5th and 6th grade team. His attitude is awesome, and he certainly helped keep things fun for me and for the kids. Ask him about our kids and see if he can talk about the season without smiling. He won’t be able to do it.
The season always begins the same way. I come in and blow the whistle to make sure that I can establish control of these kids right from the start. After creating order, the next few weeks are a chance for me to get a feel for what kind of kids and talent we have. What everyone needs to understand is that all kids would take the same approach to basketball if you left them alone. They want to shoot baskets from as far away as they possibly can.
So we get to the second practice of the year and by now I’ve established that the way to score is to pass the ball to an open teammate close to the basket. Every time they pass to an open teammate I celebrate and go crazy so that they’ll keep doing it. The system seemed to be working well except for one player. His favorite move was to put his head down, dribble as close to the basket as he could get, and then shoot a shot in traffic.
After two full practices of basically doing the same thing, I continually encouraged this player to pass the ball. However, passing was not something he liked to do. So he would keep forcing bad shots and I would get frustrated. Finally, this player went overboard. He was standing like 25 feet away from the basket, and he received a pass from his teammate. He promptly took one dribble toward the basket and heaved up a prayer from the 3-point line. The ball faded way short. It was about three feet short of the rim and about four feet too far to the right.
I get ticked off, so I say out loud to him, “So-and-so, we can do better than that. It’s really hard to make a shot from that far away”. He listens to me and promptly chimes back, “Far-away shots are my specialty”. When I hear that, I just about died laughing. This, coming from the kid who has a tough time making lay-ups, let alone 18-footers. The little 11-year old was convinced that this was his specialty?? I’ve coached All-Catholic players in High School who don’t have the green light to shoot from that far away. I just thought it was funny that his first thought was that I was completely wrong even though he couldn’t shoot the ball into a dumpster from that far away let alone an 18-inch cylinder suspended at 10 feet.
It’s okay, he possibly made me laugh even harder about four weeks later when we were in game five. He was guarding a short kid who was really quick in period two. Our team was ahead by four points after the period ended. So he and the rest of his teammates came out of the game. When they came out, Ben and I usually encouraged them for whatever they did well. So when I got to So-and-so I told him, “Great job, Man!! You really rebounded like crazy, and you were really aggressive when the ball was on the floor. But, I need you to stay in front of that guy you were guarding. He dribbled around you and you never shuffled your feet like we had practiced. I mean, if you had to guard him again, couldn’t you move a little quicker to stay in front of him?”
No joke, the kid is drinking a blue Gatorade. He takes a big swig while I’m talking, and when he comes up for air, he has a blue Gatorade mustache that almost reaches to his nose and extends past both corners of his mouth. He listens, and thinks for a second and then comes back at me with, “Hey…speed beats Braun every time”. And then he took another huge swig of Gatorade as though that was the end of the conversation. Same thing: I just about died when I heard him say that. First off, the kid weighs like 80 lbs, so “braun” doesn’t make my top 10 words to describe him. Secondly, where did he learn the word “braun” anyway? Third, he makes it sound like there’s no way he could keep up with the kid because he’s slower. If one of my high school kids ever said that, I would have lost it!! Fourth, how can I look at that blue mustache without laughing? Finally, is the 11-year-old with the Gatorade mustache teaching me a lesson in life here?? I think he is.
Even if the millions of people who read this can’t see the humor, Ben and I will never forget it. If I shared everything that went on, this article would last forever. All I know is that, there’s nothing like laughing until you cry. These kids allowed me to do that at times, and I’ll never forget it.

You know, one thing I’ve noticed lately is the tendency for people to generally believe what they are told. Rarely does one jump out on a limb to question the truthfulness or degree of accuracy of a statement. Surprisingly, I’ve noticed this to an extensive degree in the academic world. It’s ironic, to say the least, as many professors and educators strive relentlessly to teach their students to “question everything”. In a paradoxical fashion, that statement is practiced half-heartedly. It’s almost as if those who hold supposed “authoritative views” on a certain subject should never be “doubted”. However, students should question any truth from the government, or told to them by society or religion. For fun, I’ll provide an example of a statement that went literally unquestioned during one of my classes at Oakland University.

It’s 1:00 or so, in the afternoon, freezing outside, and I’m staring out the window, preparing my mind for an hour and forty seven minutes of lecture on Comparative Politics. Some hate the idea of being in class, viewing it more as a prison cell than a class room. I, on the other hand, don’t particularly mind it. I find most classes relatively interesting, and if I get bored, I’ll at least be able to play a game on my cell phone or something (something I could not get away with back in high school). Anyway, long story short, our professor makes his way to the front of the classroom and begins to lecture. It’s obvious some students let their minds wander to just about anywhere they can go, while others display a general indifferent expression, and of course, there are a few intensive listeners. It’s not that students don’t ask their professors questions (I rarely go through a class where at student doesn’t have questions). It’s that a student never truly “questions” his or her professor.

The topic of the hour was the birth and evolution of civilizations, and our Prof, was going over what he saw as the “four types of societies” including: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states. He referenced that humans have lived in bands (that being a closely knit group of about 20-50 humans, who make their living as hunter-gatherers and lack any type of governmental structure) for about 40 million years. He went on to inform the class of all the characteristics of these civilizations. Pausing to think about everything he was saying, is it anything but “totally weird” that no one questioned exactly how he knows this? I mean, come to think of it, what would his answer be? Would it just be a reference to carbon dating, of supposed prehistoric objects which seems to prove everything nowadays? Now, I am not attempting to write to prove anything about the age of the earth, or creationism, or anything of that sort.. This is pure confusion, as to why no one bothers to ask how we know this information is correct or not. I mean, if this type of information is accepted as inherently true, it may be extremely dangerous to the academic world. Students should, and do have the freedom to question the information they’re given, yet it seems a rare occasion. I’ll admit it; I’m right with you in the boat.

Numerous explanations could be given regarding why students don’t ever truly question their professors. Most obviously, that he or she holds the student’s grade in their hands, and the last thing a student wants, is to be on the bad side of one who “controls” their future. Another reason could be, students don’t want to come across as “prideful” and full of themselves.

However, one could ask without a tone of pride. It’s academic freedom we’re talking about here.

I think most of us latch onto certain music during different periods of our lives - our teenage years especially. Most people can tell you the songs, albums and bands that meant a lot to them in that awkward time of their lives. For me it was Switchfoot’s “Legend of Chin”. It was unlike anything I had heard up until that point in Christian music. The majority of Christian music is positive and uplifting - and while there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, I feel there’s a definite need for more Christian music that acknowledges the pain, sadness and even doubt that we all deal with. After all, there is plenty of scripture in this vein, and it’s comforting to know that other people have gone through the same things we have. Switchfoot’s “The Legend of Chin” struck that chord with me at the time, all the while maintaining the threads of hope that are present in every Christian’s life. However, after that debut album in 1997, Switchfoot seemed to go in a different direction, and while they’ve still made good music since, they explored those themes less and less.

So when I popped in the new solo project of Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman, I was immediately hooked from the first song with the line “I’ve spent 10 years trying to sing these doubts away.” To my ears, it was a poetic return to form for Foreman. The lyrics on these two EPs are by far the most personal and mature I’ve heard from his writing with Switchfoot. They are the reflections of a man who is broken and weary, who is crying out to his Saviour. It’s very refreshing hearing such honest lyrics like this in Christian music.

I must warn you, most of the music is outright depressing. Nearly every song deals in some way with misery, apathy and brokenness. But the songs also acknowledge the hope that God brings us, and His ability to comfort and restore us. The final result is a unique offering that goes against both ultra-positive Christian music and the dismal secular music about these themes.

So far, two EPs- “Fall” and “Winter”- of his solo project have been released (”Spring” and “Summer” are being released accordingly). It’s no surprise that the music reflects the seasons for which the EPs are named. The instrumentation is sparse and mostly acoustic, with various instruments such as piano and clarinet weaving their way in and out of the songs. It’s very reminiscent of other exceptional singer/songwriters such as Nick Drake or Iron and Wine. While the lyrics are very much the highlight of the album, the music itself is pretty good as well and serves as a great compliment.

Jon Foreman’s “Fall and Winter” EPs are for sale together as one 2 CD set, or available individually for digital download. The “Spring” and “Summer” EPs are on their way, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what he creates within the context of the “happier” seasons.

4 out of 5
www.myspace.com/jonforeman

Have you ever questioned why your place of worship looks the way it does? For the growing evangelical church in America perhaps the question would be, “Why does my church look like an office building or a department store?”. Should the building we enter to worship as the body of Christ reflect the beauty and awe of our Lord? At what cost should church builders go to create ‘Spirituality’ within a structure?

To delve into this topic, it is appropriate to look into the past and step through the doors of the grandest icon of Christian buildings, St. Peters in Rome, Italy. Gianlorenzo Bernini designed the outside square of St. Peters and he viewed the encircling marble colonnades as the motherly arms of the church. I was there, and ouch, that would be a painful embrace. Marble is everywhere you look. In the columns, stairs, flooring, statues, and fountains- it is intended to create a feeling of purity and sacredness. Two large fountains, appealing not only to sight but also to sound, give a representation of peace and purification. Looking up, as to heaven, you are face to face with the front elevation of St. Peters and encouraged by the stretching ‘arms’ of the marble colonnade to enter. And enter you must!

Structure captures your every sense as you enter through the large doors. The enormous structure of St. Peter’s was built on obvious basic principals: the central hemispherical dome, the square plan with inscribed cross, and a number of minor chapels. The dome is an image of heaven, and the cube is an image of mankind. When the cube and sphere are combined within a building such as St. Peters, there is a representation of the bond between heaven and earth. In human scale, the dome can be seen; but it is a vast space that cannot be reached. The size of the structure signifies a spiritual space. The proportion of the dome, inscribed cross, and human scale gives a spatial representation of a spiritual atmosphere. A notion that man is small, the heavens are huge and unreachable, and the only way to heaven is through the cross. Can you see the symbolism intended? If the forms went without notice, certainly the use of color would grab your attention. The interior is a world of color and dazzling drama made up of choice materials combined to resemble a spiritual atmosphere. The deep reds and blues dance up the columns, bringing your eyes up towards the ceiling. The barrel vault ceiling is gold with decorated pendentives. The ceiling is captivating and the most decorated element of the interior. It reflects the natural light, which pours in through the clerestory windows, and portrays a spiritual expression of a rich and beautiful heaven in contrast to a simple human life.

Light plays a large role in St. Peters. The purposefully small stained glass in the apse filters the light and directs the most intense rays to the center of the window. The center reveals a dove, which is the symbol of the Holy Spirit. The light coming in through the stained glass shines upon a bronze sculpture of cherubs and angels. And the light throughout the entire space is beaming through the windows, in a controlled fashion, four hundred and fifty two feet above your eyes as you stand still in awe. If the intention of the light was to create a symbolic world, the goal was achieved. Light is a symbol of hope, prosperity, and life. But who is the recipient of the motionless awe? The human or the divine Architect?

“After Christianity became the official state religion at the end of the forth century, the quantity of church building increased markedly.” Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture. St. Peters was indeed one of these churches and the quality goes without mentioning. Yet the ’spiritual temperature’ and authenticity of the people within the church was frigid and distant. In my visit, I experienced art and architecture at historic levels; however, true worship was nowhere to be found. There must be a balance out there, a physical space abounding in excellence and honor to our Savior and a body of authentic believers gathered within to corporately worship with their whole being. Our evangelical churches of today can be explained as a backlash on the very buildings we call grand and spiritual. It is obvious there was no consideration for material limitation in St. Peters. There were no concerns with monetary issues and if they were low on materials, such as marble, they had the power to steal it from buildings such as the Coliseum and Pantheon, and that they did. At what cost do we enjoy the ’spirituality’ of a building such as St. Peters? Today, in our churches, we have financial limitations. After all, we cannot simply rip expensive materials from others buildings to detail our sanctuaries. Today our focus and finances are geared toward community outreach, training leaders, developing programs, and growing ministries. Yes, we may attempt to create worship spaces welcoming to the typical white and blue-collar worker, fitted with familiar hallways and typical recessed lighting. But can we please incorporate even a slice of the creativity and awe God has fused within the nature of his children? The challenge is to create a balance and I believe our generation is up for the challenge.